Forever (h.s.)

Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2: Lost and Found

The next morning I woke to bright sunlight streaming through the curtains. Grumbling unhappily about being woken up, I rolled over to find myself face to face with a sleeping boy with long lashes and a peaceful smile.

The previous night came rushing back to me in one big wave of passion. The kisses, the heat, the love.

I could stay and stare at Harry for hours. He looked just like a baby angel. I watched, enthralled, as he snuffled like a bunny, his lashes fluttering on his cheeks, and nestled his face in the pillow.

I sighed, so in love it hurt. I just wanted to kiss him again. Feel his skin against mine. Now that I'd had a taste of Harry, I was never going back.

As I untangled myself from the sheets, I felt the chill of the early morning air flowing through the window. Glancing around, I saw Harry's t-shirt on the floor. I leaned over to get it, and pulled it on. It smelled delicious, just like him.

Just as I thought he'd never wake up, Harry blinked and locked eyes with me. Even with his face half-buried in the bedclothes, he gave me a happy little grin that dug into my heart instantly. I watched him remember what we'd done as his eyes began to sparkle.

"Hello," he offered. Oh dear god, that accent.

"Morning, sleeping beauty," I giggled, brushing a stray curl off his forehead. Harry bit his lip and his smile grew shy. Then, out of the blue, he reached out from under the duvet and wrapped his arms around me. I squealed in surprise as he pulled me under the covers with him, dropping light kisses on my neck and cheeks as he did so.

I struggled to pull away, shaking with uncontrollable giggles. Harry laughed and chased me as I tried to find an escape route out of the tangled white sheets. I rolled over onto my back, pushing Harry away as I squirmed out of reach.

He laughed again, catching me by the waist and pulling me back. His eyes suddenly serious, he dropped on top of me and kissed me. I tried to fight a smile, dazed by Harry and the covers around us and the feel of his lips on mine again.

When he pulled away, there was this grin on his face that I must have seen a hundred times before; but this time it made my brain go all fuzzy and warm.

For that reason, when I gigglingly squirmed out of his grasp, it wasn't long before all I could see was white tangled fabric, and I had no idea which way was out.

"Harry?" I said, my voice unnaturally high with laughter and anxiety. "I'm lost."

I heard him chuckle, and before I knew it sunlight was streaming through an opening in the seemingly trapping sheets. Harry wrapped himself around me and nuzzled his nose in my neck, whispering,

"I've got you, love."

I swooned, staring helplessly up into his face. He was so perfect, so wonderful, that I knew I would do anything to make him happy. Then, interrupting our movie-perfect staring contest, my cell phone rang from the dresser. I groaned, squirming out from underneath Harry and stumbling across the floor.

"Hey," Harry said, just as I picked up the phone. "Is that my t-shirt?"

I nodded, smiling, as I held a finger to my lips to silence him and blew him a kiss. He grinned and blew me one in return before disappearing into the bathroom.

"Hello?" I said, wondering who would be calling me.

"Hi! Omigodomigod how are you? What's happening?"

"Hey Fiona," I said, giggling. Fiona was like my oldest friend from home and ever since I'd moved to London and met Harry she'd been commanding a constant update on what was happening.

So I told her the whole story of the night. By the end, she was ecstatic.

"Oh god Sarah you are just so lucky he is just so gorgeous and I don't even know what to say!"

I sat own on the bed, laughing. "So, what's going on back home?"

"Well, Thomas and Lila broke up, but I s'pose that was bound to happen, right? Tucker misses you."

I felt my heart stutter at the thought of my ex boyfriend, and my first boyfriend, from middle school.

"How d'you know?" I asked painfully.

Fiona sighed. There was a pause, then she said, "He kinda talked to me about it." I swallowed hard. After a long stretch of silence, she seemed to take a hint and said,

"Sorry! New subject." She went on to tell me everything happening back in Maine. There was another French teacher now because Madame Whittlesey died. They were starting construction on the new high school on the Freeport campus. I loved nothing more than to hear little tidbits of my old life, because I missed it more than anything.

Just then, Harry came out of the bathroom, hair untangled and wearing a fresh t-shirt, and sat down on the bed behind me. I didn't think much of it until I felt him nosing his lips to my neck. I felt my breath catch in my throat and tried to keep my voice steady as I continued talking to Fiona.

But he just laughed, the heat of his breath on my skin making it harder to concentrate. He smelled like mint toothpaste and soap and delicious boy. I tried to squirm out of the way but he followed me, gently nuzzling the delicate skin right at the base of my neck.

I put my hand over the mouthpiece for a second to whimper, "Harry, stop it!" But I could feel him smiling into my neck, reaching his arms around my stomach and pulling my body into him.

"Are you okay?" Fiona was on to me. I swallowed down a breath and tried my hardest to make the two words I said not sound like the breathy moans that were dying to escape my lips.

"I'm fine." There was a pause, but Fiona kept talking without questions. Meanwhile, Harry was still gently at work, kissing my neck, his hot, soft breathing sending chills down my spine. I fought to stay focused, but all I wanted was to drop the phone and kiss Harry hard.

I felt my breath coming quicker, and it became harder and harder to hide, even over the phone. I reached up over my shoulder to push his head away, but instead found my hand around his neck, pulling him closer. I felt him smiling again against my neck. His plan was working.

"I'm...I have to...go..." I whispered to Fiona, afraid that if my raised my voice any higher it would come out as the desperate moan rising inside me.

"Are you sure you're okay?" she asked, worriedly. Harry started going harder, leaving a mark for sure. I was running out of time. A breathy whimper escaped my lips. My eyes were closing. Harry was hot against my back. I was losing it.

"Fine, promise," I managed, holding my breath. "I'll call you later, 'kay?"

"'Kay," she said warily, and I heard the line go dead. I dropped the phone instantly and threw myself on Harry, half kissing him, half scolding him for what he'd done.

"You suck!" I cried, laughing even as I said it. "You-" I kissed him, "-are absolutely-" I kissed him again, "-the most awful person ever to walk the earth!" And all the time Harry was laughing and soon we were just kissing, hard and teasing, and I knew I could never stay mad at him for long. As I kissed him and the aching need lessened, I relaxed and fell into his smiling arms.

Later, when we were curled up in bed watching the sun rise higher, I turned to Harry and whispered,

"I'm just kidding. I love you."

Although I'd said it before, his eyes widened in happy surprise and a small smile curled across his lips. Snuggling closer to me, he kissed my cheek and rested his head on mine.

"And I, you, love," he whispered, "forever."